Two stage waterjet and abrasive jet catcher

Abstract

A catcher for use in liquid and abrasive-laden liquid jet cutting apparatus that includes a separate fluid-filled chamber for reducing noise. The catcher also provides for increasing the speed of return flow to reduce the length of fluid required to absorb the kinetic energy of a jet.

I claim: 
     
       1. A catcher for use with waterjet and abrasive-laden waterjet cutting apparatus comprising: entry means positioned in the path of the jet for accepting the cutting jet;   dampening means attached to said entry means for absorbing the kinetic energy of the accepted jet,   said dampening means including means for producing a counterflow of fluid in opposition to the accepted jet, and a counterflowguiding surface which converges in the direction of counterflow for increasing the velocity of the counterflowing fluid;   sound absorption means attached to said dampening means and further along the path of fluid from said dampening means for absorbing sound; and   exit means attached to said sound absorption means for removing fluid and particulate matter from the catcher.   
     
     
       2. A catcher as in claim 1 wherein said sound absorption means is further comprising: a chamber fillable to a predetermined level with a fluid;   an inlet to said chamber so configured as to conduct counterflowing fluid from the dampening means into said chamber below the fluid level; and   an exit from said chamber for permitting the egress of excess fluid.   
     
     
       3. A catcher as in claim 2 wherein said chamber is cylindrical. 
     
     
       4. A catcher as in claim 1, wherein said entry means is a tube having a smaller diameter than said damping means. 
     
     
       5. A catcher as in claim 4 wherein said entry means is adjustable in inclination to allow alignment with a jet. 
     
     
       6. A catcher as in claim 1 including a surface diverging in the direction of counterflow and joining said converging surface to form a throat which is closer to said entry means than to said counterflow-producing means. 
     
     
       7. A catcher as in claim 1 wherein said converging surface further comprises the interior surface of a plurality of rings in said damping means. 
     
     
       8. A catcher as in claim 7 wherein said rings all have a similar outside diameter. 
     
     
       9. A catcher as in claim 8 wherein the inside diameter of the first ring along the path of a jet is smaller than the inside diameter of the last ring. 
     
     
       10. A catcher for use with waterjet and abrasiveladen waterjet cutting systems comprising: first chamber-defining means having an inlet end for receiving an axially directed cutting jet, and a distal end spaced from the inlet end in the general direction of jet travel;   passage-defining means in fluid communication with the first chamber interjacent the inlet and distal ends thereof for permitting the egress of spent jet fluid from the first chamber;   the first chamber having walls in at least a portion of the region between the distal end and the passage-defining means which converge in the direction of counterflow to increase the velocity of fluid counterflowing from the distal end towards the inlet end of the first chamber; and   a plurality of ring-like members having inside diameters which generally decrease in the direction of fluid counterflow and forming the converging chamber walls.   
     
     
       11. A catcher for use with waterjet and abrasiveladen waterjet cutting systems comprising: first chamber-defining means having an inlet end for receiving an axially directed cutting jet, and a distal end spaced from the inlet end in the general direction of jet travel; passage-defining means in fluid communication with the first chamber interjacent the inlet and distal ends thereof for permitting the egress of spent jet fluid from the first chamber;   the first chamber being shaped in at least a portion of the region between the distal end and the passage-defining means to increase the velocity of fluid counterflowing from the distal end towards the inlet end of the first chamber;   the inlet end of the first chamber-defining means having an aperture;   conduit means mounted within the aperture and in fluid communication with the first chamber at the inlet end for receiving the jet into the first chamber; and   mounting means for mounting the conduit means within the aperture for self aligning movement in response to the force exerted by the jet on the conduit means when misaligned therewith.   
     
     
       12. A catcher for use with waterjet and abrasive-laden waterjet cutting systems comprising: a chamber-defining body having an aperture at an inlet end thereof;   conduit means mounted within the aperture and in fluid communication with the chamber at the inlet end for receiving the jet into the chamber; and   mounting means for mounting the conduit means within the aperture for self-aligning movement in response to the force exerted by the jet on the conduit means when the conduit means and the jet are misaligned.